The blood of the 8 is on your hands – Ashigbey to galamsey politicians
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr. Ken Ashigbey, has issued a fierce rebuke to politically connected individuals involved in illegal mining, warning that their actions are costing lives and undermining national progress.
His comments follow the tragic August 6 helicopter crash that claimed eight lives including senior government officials and military personnel who were traveling to launch an anti-galamsey initiative in Obuasi.
Among the deceased were Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and three members of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Ashigbey, who also serves as Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, directly linked the crash to the broader battle against illegal mining.
“All of those politically exposed people involved in galamsey, the blood of these eight heroes is on your hands,” he said.
“This is a moral crisis. If you have any conscience left, step away from this destructive business.”
The officials were en route to the launch of the Responsible Co-operative Mining and Skills Development Programme (COMSDEP), aimed at promoting sustainable mining practices in one of the country’s most affected regions.
Their helicopter went down in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region, a known galamsey hotspot.
Dr. Ashigbey urged Ghanaians not to let the tragedy pass without consequences.
“We cannot simply mourn and move on. This should be a moment of reckoning. We must demand accountability not just from the government, but from ourselves.”
He also condemned the government’s current approach to illegal mining, especially the deportation of foreign offenders, calling it ineffective.
“Don’t just deport galamseyers make sure they pay fines, serve jail terms, and face the full weight of the law. Ghana must show it is serious about ending this.”
The crash has reignited national debate about illegal mining, with preliminary reports confirming the Z-9 military helicopter lost radar contact mid-flight.
Due to the state of the remains, samples have been sent to South Africa for DNA testing.
As the nation grieves, Dr. Ashigbey insists that true honour for the fallen lies not in ceremonies, but in ending the toxic grip of illegal mining once and for all.